• Don’t make up things you don’t know.
• Don’t use terms that are too technical.
• Don’t tell them someone else’s story.
• Don’t talk about your own troubles.
• Don’t give false promises or reassurances.
• Don’t think or act as if you must solve all the person’s problems for them,
or give unwarranted advice.
• Don’t take away the person’s strength and sense of being able to care
for themselves.
• Don’t talk about people in negative terms. For example, don’t call them
“crazy” or “mad”.
Keep good communication in mind as you look, listen, and link — the action
principles of PFA.
Prepare: Learn About the Situation
• Learn about the crisis event.
• Learn about available services and supports.
• Learn about safety and security concerns.
Crisis situations can be chaotic and often need urgent action. However,
wherever possible before entering a crisis site, try to get accurate information
about the situation. Consider the following questions:
Training Module on the Right to Mental Health for Civil Society Organizations (CSOs)
• Don’t judge what they have or haven’t done, or how they are feeling. Don’t
say, “You shouldn’t feel that way,” or “You should feel lucky you survived.”
The Crisis Event
• What happened?
• When and where did it take place?
• How many people are likely to be affected and who are they?
Available Services and Supports
•
Who is providing for basic needs like emergency medical care, food,
water, shelter, or tracing family members?
•
Where and how can people access those services?
•
Who else is helping? Are community members involved in responding?
Safety and Security Concerns
• Is the crisis event over or continuing, such as an aftershock from an
earthquake or continuing conflict?
• What dangers may be in the environment, such as rebels, landmines, or
damaged infrastructure?
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